Cancer Control Rates Research Articles

Quality of life and functional outcomes 10 years after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy

Background. Minimally invasive laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) has proven equally effective as open surgery in terms of cancer control and peroperative complication rate with less bleeding and postoperative pain. However, long-term follow-up data after LRP are scarce, especially as related to quality of life (QoL).Aim. To compare QoL and functional outcomes at least 10 years after LRP with a population-based control group matched for age and region.Methods. Follow-up data were obtained by mailed questionnaires from patients who responded anonymously to five international questionnaires (EQ-5D, QLQ-C30, QLQ-PR25, IPSS, and IIEF). We collected self-reported outcome data directly from 49 patients who underwent LRP more than 10 years ago in our centre. The results of the patients' overall QoL and urinary continence rates were compared with 918 controls matched for region and age.Results. Forty-two patients (86%) and 808 (88%) controls reported having no urinary leakage. Only 11 patients (24%) still had sexual activities 10 years after LRP, and three were without erectile dysfunction. There was no difference in four of five statements of the self-assessed QoL questionnaires between the LRP and control group. Anxiety level was higher in the LRP group (44%) than in the control group (23%).Conclusion. Patients reported high self-assessed QoL, although they also reported low sexual activity 10 years after LRP. Prevalence of urinary leakage was similar in both groups. However, anxiety was more common in LRP patients.

Brachytherapy: Current Status and Future Strategies — Can High Dose Rate Replace Low Dose Rate and External Beam Radiotherapy?

Brachytherapy delivers the most conformal high dose radiotherapy possible to the prostate, using either a low dose rate (LDR) or high dose rate (HDR) technique. It may be used either alone as monotherapy or in combination with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) as a local boost. Comparative efficacy studies, including one randomised controlled trial, consistently show higher cancer control rates when brachytherapy is used compared with EBRT alone, with even some evidence of improvement in survival. There are now extensive mature data supporting the use of LDR as monotherapy for patients with low-risk and selected intermediate-risk disease, with most series reporting long-term disease control rates of over 90% after high-quality implants. HDR is most commonly combined with EBRT to treat intermediate- and high-risk disease, with disease control rates of over 90% reported. The low alpha/beta ratio of prostate cancer combined and the ability to optimally sculpt dose distribution provides the biological and dosimetric rationale for HDR. HDR enables more consistent implant quality than LDR, with evidence of lower acute and late toxicity. Many dose and fractionation schedules of HDR in combination with EBRT have been investigated, but a single fraction of 10–15 Gy is commonly combined with EBRT to a dose of 40–50 Gy to treat intermediate- and high-risk disease. High disease control rates are also reported with HDR as monotherapy, particularly in patients with low- and intermediate-risk disease. Although older series have delivered four to six fractions of HDR, there is growing evidence to support the delivery of HDR in three or even two fractions. Single-fraction HDR monotherapy is now being investigated and if early data are confirmed with longer follow-up, may well become the treatment of choice for many men with localised prostate cancer.

The Martini-Clinic technique of open radical retropubic prostatectomy

Despite the emergence of robotic approaches, the technique of open radical retropubic prostatectomy (RP) is still the predominant approach for surgical treatment of clinically localized prostate cancer in most clinics worldwide. The principles of this technique and its oncological efficacy were published decades ago; however, the surgery carried out today has undergone continuous refinements, reducing the morbidity rate and significantly improving postoperative functional outcomes such as urinary continence and erectile function. We report on the current technique of open nerve-sparing radical RP with data analysis to address the issues of urinary continence, potency, cancer control rates and perioperative morbidity. The analyses are based on 1875 patients who were treated with nerve-sparing RP in the Martini-Clinic. The key elements of open radical RP are a selective ligation of the dorsal vein complex and early release of the neurovascular bundles using a high anterior tension-free and energy-free intrafascial technique, intraoperative frozen section (NeuroSAFE technique) and full functional length urethral sphincter preparation (FFLU technique). During dissection of the urethra, the posterior insertion at Denonvilliers' fascia is preserved and remains in situ, and is selectively opened above the seminal vesicles. The later seminal vesicles are completely removed inside Denonvilliers' fascia and six muscle-sparing interrupted sutures are used for anastomosis. Functional and oncological outcome data were determined, which were prospectively collected using validated questionnaires and intraoperative and perioperative morbidity data were also evaluated. Patient age and the extent to which the nerve-sparing approach was influenced by urinary continence and potency. Overall, 97.4% of men less than 60 years of age, and 84.1% of men over 70 years, had complete urinary continence 1 year after nerve-sparing RP. In preoperative potent men, erections sufficient for intercourse were seen in 84–92% of patients who underwent bilateral nerve sparing and in 58.3–70% of men who underwent unilateral nerve sparing. Median blood loss was 590 ml (range 130–1800 ml) and the transfusion rate was 4.5%. Median operative time was 175 minutes (range 95–215 minutes). In organ-confined cancers, recurrence-free survival and cancer-specific survival at 10 years after RP were 87% and 98.3%, respectively. Open intrafascial nerve-sparing RP combines excellent long-term cancer control rates with superior functional outcome and a low morbidity.

Transrectal High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound for the Treatment of Localized Prostate Cancer: Current Role

Over the past 25 years, the average life expectancy for men has increased by 4 years, and the age of prostate cancer detection has decreased an average of 10 years with diagnosis increasingly made at early-stage disease where curative therapy is possible. These changing trends in the age and extent of malignancy at diagnosis have revealed limitations in conventional curative therapies for prostate cancer, including a significant risk of aggressive cancer recurrence, and the risk of long-term genitourinary morbidity and its detrimental impact on patient quality of life (QOL). Greater awareness of the shortcomings in radical prostatectomy, external radiotherapy and brachytherapy have prompted the search for alternative curative therapies that offer comparable rates of cancer control and less treatment-related morbidity to better preserve QOL. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) possesses characteristics that make it an attractive curative therapy option. HIFU is a non-invasive approach that uses precisely-delivered ultrasound energy to achieve tumor cell necrosis without radiation or surgical excision. In current urological oncology, HIFU is used clinically in the treatment of prostate cancer, and is under experimental investigation for therapeutic use in renal and breast malignancies. Clinical research on HIFU therapy for localized prostate cancer began in the 1990s, and there have now been approximately 30,000 prostate cancer patients treated with HIFU, predominantly with the Ablatherm (EDAP TMS, Lyon, France) device. Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) has been combined with HIFU since 2000 to reduce prostate size, facilitate tissue destruction, and to minimize side effects. Advances in imaging technologies are expected to further improve the already superior efficacy and morbidity outcomes, and ongoing investigation of HIFU as a focal therapy and in salvage and palliative indications are serving to expand the role of HIFU as a highly versatile non-invasive therapy for prostate cancer.

Endoscopic Inguinofemoral Lymphadenectomy—Extended Follow-up

Inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy (IFLA) is a standard procedure for cancer of the external genitalia. Open lymphadenectomy (O-IFLA) exhibits complication rates of more than 50%. We are demonstrating our extended experience with a modified endoscopic approach (E-IFLA) for groin lymphadenectomy. Patients with nonpalpable as well as those with palpable nodes who had IFLA were identified. O-IFLA comprised both superficial and deep inguinal lymph node dissection. E-IFLA was performed using a three-trocar approach in the same field. We used a reduced CO2-pressure of <5 mm Hg. A suction drain was always placed. Perioperative data and postoperative outcomes were systematically assessed followed by statistical analysis. We performed 62 IFLAs in 42 patients. Twenty-eight procedures were completed endoscopically. Follow-up was 55.8 months (2-87 mos). Mean operative time for O-IFLA was 101.7 minutes (38-195 min), being shorter than for E-IFLA (136.3 min, 87-186 min), P<0.001. Both groups are comparable regarding the number of nodes (O-IFLA 7.2, 2-16 vs E-IFLA 7.1, 4-13) as well as with regard to the number of positive nodes (O-IFLA 1.8 vs E-IFLA 1.6). Secondary wound healing and leg edema were extremely rare events (1/28) after E-IFLA. The overall complication rate was 7.1%. Complications appeared in 55.3% of the O-IFLA-cases. There were no problems related to CO2 insufflation. Local recurrence rates were identical in both groups. O-IFLA and E-IFLA are efficient with respect to oncologic safety. E-IFLA is technically more challenging. E-IFLA can avoid secondary wound healing and lymphatic complications. E-IFLA is a safe procedure while a reduction of CO2 pressures optimizes the safety profile. Because cancer control rates remained equivalent during an extended follow-up, oncologic durability could be confirmed.

Prediction of True Dosimetric Parameters Over the Life of the Implant in Prostate Brachytherapy

Dosimetric parameters for prostate brachytherapy have been correlated with cancer control rate as well as toxicity. D90 has the most data correlating it with cancer control. The ABS recommends post-implant quality assurance (QA) computed tomographic (CT) scans approximately one month after the procedure to verify proper dosimetry. With short half-life isotopes such as Cesium-131 (9.7 days), this one month CT may not account for volume changes from temporary prostatic edema during the majority of the dose deposition.

Locally recurrent prostate cancer after initial radiation therapy: Early salvage high-intensity focused ultrasound improves oncologic outcomes

PurposeTo evaluate pre-operative prognostic risk factors to predict oncologic outcome of Salvage High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (S-HIFU) for radiorecurrent prostate cancer (PCa). Methods and materialsA total of 290 men with biopsy-confirmed locally radiorecurrent PCa, underwent S-HIFU. D’Amico risk group before external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), estimated Gleason score prior HIFU and post HIFU biopsies were analyzed for predictive utility of local cancer control, cancer-specific, metastasis free, and progression free survival rates (PFSR). ResultsLocal cancer control with negative biopsy results was obtained in 81% of the 208 patients who underwent post-S-HIFU biopsies. Median PSA nadir was 0.14ng/ml and 127 patients did not require androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The mean follow up was 48months for cancer-specific survival rates. The cancer-specific and metastasis-free survival rates at 7years were 80% and 79.6% respectively. The PFSR was significantly influenced by: the pre-HIFU PSA level (hazard ratio (HR): 1.09, 95% CI 1.04–1.13), a Gleason score ⩾8 versus ⩽6 (HR: 1.17, 95% CI 1.03–1.3), and a previous ADT (HR: 1.28, 95% CI 1.09–1.46). The rates of recto-urethral fistula (0.4%) and grade II/III incontinence (19.5%) indicate significant reduction in serious side effects with use of dedicated post-radiation acoustic parameters compared with standard parameters. ConclusionS-HIFU is an effective curative option for radiorecurrent PCa with acceptable morbidity for localized radiorecurrent PCa, but should be initiated early following EBRT failure. Use of prognostic risk factors can optimize patient selection.

Abstract FO02-02: Community-based participatory research for cancer prevention and control in African Americans.

Abstract Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is emerging as an important strategy for reducing cancer health disparities. CBPR is an approach that actively and meaningfully engages academic and community stakeholders in the development, implementation, and evaluation of programmatic efforts to improve health outcomes in a community. The West Philadelphia Consortium to Address Disparities was established with funding from the NIMHD to identify and address cancer health disparities among African Americans in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. As part of this partnership, we have evaluated the effects behavioral interventions to improve diet and physical activity, community-based approaches to increase access to information about cancer control through navigation, and compared the effects of alternate strategies for disseminating information about breast cancer prevention. This presentation will address several cross-cutting issues that are relevant to community-based approaches for reducing cancer health disparities. For instance, our findings demonstrate that while there are few barriers to using community-based navigation for cancer control and acceptance rates are high, with more than 70% of referred subjects completing navigation, subjects who believe that they are at high risk for developing cancer have a significantly lower likelihood of being a navigator acceptor. Further, while previous research has shown that cancer risk information is effective at motivating early detection for cancer, empirical data are limited on the effects of risk factor information on prevention behaviors, especially in populations that are at increased risk for developing other diseases that are consequences of physical inactivity and poor dietary behaviors. As part of this partnership, we conducted a randomized trial to evaluate the effects of integrated (IRC) versus disease-specific (DSC) risk factor education on lifestyle prevention behaviors in a community-based sample of African American adults (n=212). We predicted that IRC, or risk education that provided education about the overlap in behavioral risk factors for cancer and cardiovascular disease would lead to greater adherence rates compared to DSC, a protocol that only provided education about behavioral risk factors for cardiovascular disease. IRC was associated with increased adherence rates for fruit intake only (OR=1.85, 95% CI=0.99, 3.44, p=0.05) compared to DSC. At baseline, 37.4% of participants who were randomized to IRC met the recommended guidelines for fruit intake, but at follow-up 57.4% were adherent. There were no significant changes in adherence rates for fruit intake among those who were randomized to DSC (31.1% versus 41.5%). Our findings suggest that integrated risk factor education leads to improved behavioral prevention for some outcomes. Making multiple behavioral changes simultaneously may be difficult. Best practices for establishing and maintaining academic-community partnerships to address cancer health disparities and to sustain these efforts will also be discussed. Citation Format: Chanita Hughes Halbert, Vanessa Briggs, Scarlett Bellamy, Ernestine Delmoor, Jerry Johnson, Joseph Purnell, Rodney Rogers, Benita Weathers. Community-based participatory research for cancer prevention and control in African Americans. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fifth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2012 Oct 27-30; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(10 Suppl):Abstract nr FO02-02.

Oncologic Outcomes After Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy: Mid-Term Results

To describe the oncologic outcomes of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) diagnosed in patients and submitted to laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) in a laparoscopic referral center. We retrospectively analyzed data of 150 consecutive patients with small renal masses and treated with LPN between 2000 and 2010 at a laparoscopic referral center. Pathologic RCC was diagnosed in 137 patients and were included in the oncologic outcome analysis. Kaplan-Meyer methods were used to estimate the probability of disease recurrence and cancer-specific survival. Median follow-up for patients without recurrence was 38 months (interquartile range [IQR] 19-70). The majority of the patients (88%) were found to have pT1a disease at the final pathology report; eight patients (6%) were classified as pT3a. The median tumor size was 25 mm (IQR 20-32). Clear cell type histology was found in 97 patients (66%); most of the patients had Fuhrman grade 2 (72%) or 3 (21%). The 2- and 5-year recurrence-free survival rates were 98% and 95%, respectively. The positive surgical margin was found in 1.4% of the patients. The 2-year and 5-year CSS rates were 99% and 97%, respectively. Kaplan-Meyer methods showed that patients with pT3a were more likely to experience disease recurrence and patients with Fuhrman grade 3 to die of the disease. LPN seems to provide excellent cancer control rates and to be an oncologically feasible and safe option for treating patients with small renal masses. Recurrence and death from the disease are extremely uncommon and mostly related to a higher pathologic stage or Fuhrman grade, but not positive surgical margins.

Long-term outcome from RTOG 9517: A phase I/II study of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) with mulitcatheter brachytherapy (MCT) following lumpectomy for early-stage breast cancer.

147 Background: Comparison of APBI to whole breast irradiation post lumpectomy for breast conservation is ongoing in phase III trials. However, APBI has gained acceptance in clinical practice despite relatively limited long-term data. RTOG 9517 studied MCT, one of the earliest methods of APBI, and can uniquely provide long-term cancer outcomes. Methods: Eligibility was stage I/II unifocal breast cancer &lt;3cm, invasive non-lobular histology without EIC, negative surgical margins, and 0-3 positive axillary nodes; no extracapsular extension. The target volume was the lumpectomy cavity plus a 2 cm radial and 1 cm ant/post margin. Low Dose Rate (LDR), 45 Gy in 3.5-5 day, or High Dose Rate (HDR) 34 Gy in 10 BID fractions over 5 days was delivered. A rapid dosimetry review was done to assure dose delivery per protocol. Systemic therapy was per physician’s discretion. The primary endpoint was HDR and LDR MCT reproducibility. This analysis focuses on ipsilateral breast failure (IBF), contralateral breast cancer events (CBE), regional (RF) and distant failure (DF) (cumulative incidence) disease-free (DFS), relapse-free (RFS), and overall survival (OS), (Kaplan-Meier). Results: The median follow up is 12.1 years (yr). 100 patients were accrued from 1997-2000; 98 were evaluable; 65 HDR and 33 LDR MCT. Median age was 62; 88% had T1 tumors; 12% T2; 81% p N0, 19% pN1; 77% ER and/or PR +; 19% ER - and PR -; 33 % received adjuvant chemotherapy and 64% antiendocrine therapy. There have been 6 IBF for a 10 yr rate of 6.2%; 2 IBF were outside the APBI field. There were 5 total RF for a 10 yr rate of 5.2%, respectively. There have been 5 CBE for a 10 yr rate of 4.2%. Failure patterns were: 4 isolated IBF, 1 isolated RF, 8 DF only, 1 IBF+RF, 1 IBF+RF+DF, 1 RF+CBE, 1 RF+DF, 3 CBE, and 1 CBE+DF (21 total failures). Eleven patients have developed DF; 8 have died of breast cancer, 22 have died from other causes. The 10 yr DFS, RFS and OS are 69.8%, 71.9%, and 78.0%, respectively. Conclusions: This multi-institutional phase II trial studying MCT-APBI continues to report durable local regional cancer control rates with long term follow-up. Supported by NCI U10 grants CA21661 and CA37422.

Moderately Hypofractionated Conformal Radiation Treatment of Thoracic Esophageal Carcinoma

To prospectively assess the efficacy and safety of moderately hypofractionated conformal radiotherapy in patients with thoracic esophageal cancer. From Sept. 2002 to Oct. 2005, 150 eligible patients with T2-4N0-1M0 stage thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancers were enrolled to receive either conventional fractionated radiation (CFR) or moderately hypofractionated radiation (MHR) with a three- dimensional conformal radiation technique. Of the total, 74 received moderately hypofractionated radiation with total dose of 54-60 Gy/18-20 fractions for 3.5-4 weeks in the MHR arm, and 76 received conventional radiation with total dose of 60 Gy/30 fractions for 6 weeks in the CFR arm. Concurrent chemotherapy comprised of paclitaxel and cisplatin. Safety was evaluated, and local control and overall survival rates were calculated. Statistically significant differences between the CFR versus MHR arms were observed in local/regional failure rate (47.3% v 27.0%, P=0.034) and the percentage of patients with persistent local disease (26.3% v 10.8%, P=0.012). But 3 and 5-year overall survival rates (43.2%, 38.8% v 38.2%, 28.0%, respectively) were not different between the two arms (P=0.268). There were no significant differences in the incidences of grade 3 or higher acute toxicities (66.3% v 50.0%) and late complications rates (27.0% v 22.4%) between the MHR and CFR arms. Moderately hypofractionated, three-dimensional radiation treatment could improve the local control rate of esophageal cancer and potentially increase patient survival.

Focal HIFU for prostate cancer

The overtreatment of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer after prostate-specific-antigen (PSA) screening raises questions about the amount of harm induced by all the armamentarium available. Even though radical prostatectomy or conformal radiotherapy provide high rates of cancer control, the sequelae induced by these treatments could impair the quality of life of men for the rest of their lives. In this context, we congratulate Hashim Ahmed and colleagues1 for the results provided by their elegant study in which they showed, among patients with low-risk or intermediate-risk disease, that focal high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a safe treatment strategy with satisfactory short-term quality of life.

The best method for dose escalation: Prostate brachytherapy

The best method for dose escalation: Prostate brachytherapy

Long-term oncological and continence outcomes after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: a single-centre experience

Study Type--Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Over the past decade, minimally invasive laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and more recently robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy have been introduced and have proven equally effective compared with open surgery in terms of mid-term cancer control and complication rates. Because long-term data is lacking, open prostatectomy is still considered the 'gold standard' by some authors, who argue that minimally invasive approaches have to measure up to the excellent long-term results of open surgery. This study represents one of the largest series (1845 patients) of minimally invasive radical prostatectomy with extended follow-up (11.3 years) and detailed data on oncological outcome and postoperative incontinence. It therefore supplies previously lacking information on these details for minimally invasive prostate surgery and provides important information for patient counselling. • To investigate biochemical recurrence (BCR) rates and data on postoperative incontinence in a large laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) cohort with extended follow-up. • BCR and independent predictors of BCR were identified using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis of 1845 patients who underwent LRP from 1999 to 2007. • Urinary incontinence was evaluated by pads per day and stratified as follows: 0-1 pad: no incontinence; 2-3 pads: mild incontinence; and ≥ 3 pads: severe incontinence. • Organ-confined disease, extraprostatic extension, seminal vesicle invasion and lymph node metastasis were present in 71.3%, 20.5%, 6.7% and 3.2% of patients, respectively. The positive surgical margin rate was 29.2%. • Postoperatively, 74.9% of the patients were continent, while 9.2% had mild and 15.9% severe incontinence. • The mean follow-up was 5 years with a maximum follow-up of 11.3 years. • There were 51 overall deaths and six deaths from prostate cancer. The 5-year, 8-year and 10-year BCR-free survival rates were 83.9%, 78.6% and 75.6%, respectively. • On univariate analyses preoperative D'Amico risk classification, pathological tumour stage, postoperative Gleason sum and surgical margin status were predictors of BCR (P < 0.001). • On multivariable analysis, D'Amico classification, Gleason sum (P < 0.001), postoperative tumour stage (P < 0.001), nodal status (P < 0.001) and surgical margin status (P = 0.002) were independent predictors of BCR. • LRP offers excellent long-term functional and oncological results with a low incidence of BCR for patients with localized disease. • These results could be used for patient counselling before robot-assisted laparascopic prostatectomy (RALP) until long-term follow-up data for RALP is available.

Proton Radiotherapy for Solid Tumors of Childhood

The increasing efficacy of pediatric cancer therapy over the past four decades has produced many long-term survivors that now struggle with serious treatment related morbidities affecting their quality of life. Radiation therapy is responsible for a significant proportion of these late effects, but a relatively new and emerging modality, proton radiotherapy hold great promise to drastically reduce these treatment related late effects in long term survivors by sparing dose to normal tissues. Dosimetric studies of proton radiotherapy compared with best available photon based treatment show significant dose sparing to developing normal tissues. Furthermore, clinical data are now emerging that begin to quantify the benefit in decreased late treatment effects while maintaining excellent cancer control rates.

Conformal radiotherapy plus high dose rate brachytherapy prostate boost in patients with intermediate and high risk prostate cancer: our experience in Asian males

AbstractPurpose: Recent studies have shown increased prostate cancer control rates with radiation dose escalation. Herein the experience of dose escalation by high dose rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) adjunct to the three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) for prostate cancer is presented.Patients and methods: During the period between August 2005 and July 2007, patients with intermediate and high risk prostate cancer were treated with 3D-CRT of dose 46Gy ÷ 23 fractions to whole pelvis followed by: Arm A (102 patients): prostate boost with HDR-BT 14 Gy × 2 sessions and Arm B (103 patients): prostate boost via 3D-CRT of dose 26 Gy ÷ 13 fractions. Primary objectives were overall survival (OS), distant metastases free survival (DMFS) and PSA progression free survival (PPFS) rates. Secondary objectives were the toxicity profile and post-radiation histopathological response.Results: At median follow up of 3.5 years, PPFS, DMFS and OS rates were; 97.8% versus 89.0% (p = 0.009), 98.1% versus 93.6% (p = 0.13) and 98.8% versus 91.6% (p = 0.24) in Arm A and Arm B. respectively. Grade 3 or 4 delayed genitourinary toxicities occurred in 2% and 4.8% of patients in Arm A and Arm B, respectively. Delayed grade 3 and 4 gastrointestinal toxicities were seen in 2% and 3.9% of patients in Arm A and Arm B, respectively. The post-radiation prostate biopsies were negative in 14/17(82.3%) and 9/15 (60%) in Arm A and Arm B, respectively.Conclusion: 3D-CRT combined with HDR-BT resulted in better PPFS and lower morbidity than 3DCRT alone for intermediate and high risk prostate cancer.

Long-term results of MRI-guided partial prostate brachytherapy for favorable-risk prostate cancer: Implications for focal therapy.

114 Background: To report long-term results of MRI-guided partial prostate brachytherapy and propose a definition of biochemical failure following focal therapy Methods: From 1997-2007, 318 men with cT1c, PSA &lt; 15, Gleason ≤ 3 + 4 prostate cancer received MRI-guided brachtherapy in which only the peripheral zone was targeted. To exclude benign PSA increases due to prostatic hyperplasia, PSA failure was defined as nadir + 2 with PSA velocity &gt;0.75 ng/mL/year. Cox multivariable analysis was used to determine factors associated with PSA failure. Results: After a median follow-up of 5.1 years (interquartile range: 2.8 to 7.3, maximum 12.1), 26 men failed. While 36 patients met nadir+2 criteria, all eight biopsy-proven local recurrences were among the 26 men who also had a PSA velocity &gt;0.75 ng/mL/year. On multivariable analysis, having intermediate vs. low-risk disease (adjusted HR: 4.4 [95%CI: 1.3-5.5], p&lt;0.001) was the only factor significantly associated with an increased risk of PSA failure. PSA failure-free survival at 5 and 8 years was 95.6% and 90.0% for low risk, and was 73.0% and 66.4% for intermediate risk, respectively. Conclusions: MRI-guided brachytherapy targeting the peripheral zone produced comparable cancer control rates to whole-gland treatment in men with PSA-detected low-risk disease, but may not be adequate for men with “favorable” intermediate-risk disease. Requiring a PSA velocity&gt;0.75 in addition to nadir+2 may be a more appropriate way to define biochemical failure after therapies that target less than the whole gland.

Outcomes in Transplant Patients Undergoing Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer

To determine the failure rate of brachytherapy as definitive treatment for localized prostate cancer in transplant and otherwise immunosuppressed patients compared with patients not undergoing immunosuppressive therapy. A retrospective study of 314 patients treated with brachytherapy for prostate cancer between July 1995 and March 2007, 7 of whom were previously transplanted and currently on immunosuppression (4 heart transplants, 3 renal transplants), and 10 of whom were on immunosuppression for other medical conditions. Outcomes were defined by both American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and Phoenix definitions of biochemical failure. The mean patient age at implant was 67.3±7.3 years; mean follow-up was 7.5±2.8 years, with a minimum follow-up of 3 years. In the nonimmunosuppressed group, a 15.8% failure rate by the ASTRO definition and 13.6% rate by the Phoenix definition were observed. When excluding patients with previous external beam radiation and/or neoadjuvant hormone therapy, a 13.6% failure rate by the ASTRO definition and 11.4% rate by the Phoenix definition were observed. Within the transplanted patient subset, failure rates by both ASTRO and Phoenix definitions were 14.3%. For all immunosuppressed patients, failure rates were 11.8% by both definitions. While performing a Fisher exact test, there was no statistical difference in failure rates between all groups by either definition of failure. Immunosuppressed prostate cancer patients treated by brachytherapy seem to enjoy similar cancer control rates as the similarly treated nonimmunosuppressed population. It is recognized, however, that a much larger cohort of immunosuppressed patients would need to be studied to demonstrate statistical equivalence.

Outcomes for Radical Prostatectomy: Is It the Singer, the Song, or Both?

Outcomes for Radical Prostatectomy: Is It the Singer, the Song, or Both?

HIFU: Definitely ready for prime time

HIFU: Definitely ready for prime time